1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to movable stands, towers, and the like for supporting a hunter, photographer, etc. in the field. More specifically, the present invention relates to a stand which may be carried upon a small off road vehicle (golf cart, all terrain vehicle, etc.) or alternatively in the bed of a pickup truck or the like, for transport and erection at any practicable location desired.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advantages provided by a relatively high viewing platform, have been well known for generations. Hunters have particularly found that a high vantage point provides many advantages, e.g., a larger and wider field of view than that obtained at ground level, and perhaps more importantly, the elevation of the hunter above the normal horizontal line of sight of most game animals. It is a well established fact that most land animals (including humans) are adapted to devote most of their visual attention within a relatively few degrees of visual field above and below the horizon. However, the advantages of an elevated viewing position are evident in many other fields as well, e.g., photography at races and other events, security guard operations and crowd monitoring, safety applications (lifeguards), etc.
Many such stands of the prior art are permanently installed facilities, particularly where used for security and safety purposes. However, the need for portability has long been recognized, particularly for use in hunting, photography, and observation of temporary events. The tree stand concept is well known in hunting and wildlife photography, but requires a tree, pole, or other tall, narrow object which can be scaled and to which the stand may be temporarily affixed. Such stands may be portable, but the object to which they attach is not, and such stands are not self-supporting. While other portable stands have been developed for carriage upon a motor vehicle of some sort, they have generally been relatively heavy and bulky, requiring a relatively large vehicle (e.g., pickup truck, etc.) for support.
Where smaller and lighter stands have been developed for carriage by lighter vehicles, they generally limit the utility of the vehicle to only carriage of the stand, and perhaps a single operator; it is generally not possible to carry any significant load (e.g., a large game animal, etc.) on an all terrain vehicle which has been fitted with a stand according to the prior art. Where the stand has been constructed so as to provide additional carrying space or area on the vehicle, the stand is generally not particularly high when erected, and does not provide significant additional elevation to the hunter or other user. Moreover, where such prior art stands do not utilize an existing fixed structure (tree, etc.) for stability, they generally rely upon the vehicle alone for stability, and do not provide the stability desired.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a portable utility stand which may be installed upon a small, light weight off road vehicle (golf cart, all terrain vehicle, etc.) as well as within the bed of a pickup truck or the like. The present stand provides sufficient room when folded, to allow the vehicle to be used for the carriage of other articles as well. Yet, the present stand provides a significant height advantage when erected, raising the eye of a person seated therein to a point approximately sixteen feet above the surface.
The present stand also provides the necessary stability for such relatively high erected configurations, and includes laterally braces as well as fore and aft attachment to the underlying vehicle. The person seated in the seat of the present stand when erected, is positioned essentially directly over the center of gravity of the vehicle when the vehicle is parked on level ground, thus providing a safe and secure stand for the user. The present stand is relatively light in weight and may be erected and stowed manually in only a few minutes by a single individual Alternatively, powered means (hydraulic, electric, etc.) may be provided for the erection of the present stand, if so desired, thus enabling a person having limited physical strength or dexterity to take advantage of the benefits provided by the present stand.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,282,375 issued on Nov. 1, 1966 to Kenneth V. Ray, titled xe2x80x9cMobile Stand For Hunters Convertible To A Hand Cart,xe2x80x9d describes a wheeled device having a folding ladder extending therefrom. The ladder may be extended, the wheels braced upon the underlying surface, and the upper end of the ladder secured to a permanent structure (tree, etc.), with a platform at the upper end of the ladder serving as a hunting stand or the like. The Ray stand requires that another fixed object, such as a tree, be used to support and brace his stand, whereas the present stand, in combination with the vehicle upon which it is carried, is free standing and needs no other support. The present stand provides additional advantages as well, such as a swiveling seat providing 360 degrees of freedom for the observer, which is not possible for a device which is braced against an existing fixed structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,784 issued on Oct. 22, 1968 to Glendale Jones et al., titled xe2x80x9cPortable Hunting Stand,xe2x80x9d describes two embodiments in which a folding stand is secured to the back of a vehicle. The vehicles to which the Jones et al. stand attaches are relatively large, comprising a pickup truck type vehicle and a Jeep style vehicle with no top. In the case of the Jeep type vehicle, the stand telescopes vertically upon four columns, rather than folding about a pair of pivots, as in the case of the present stand. Neither embodiment provides any lateral bracing means or swiveling seating, both of which are features of the present portable utility stand invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,252 issued on Sep. 30, 1986 to David E. Tarner, titled xe2x80x9cPortable Observation Structure,xe2x80x9d describes two embodiments of a portable stand mounted on the back or to the luggage rack of a vehicle. In both embodiments, a lower tower is provided, with a ladder-like structure pivotally extending from the top of the tower. While a pair of rearward braces is provided, no lateral braces are provided for lateral stability. In the embodiment mounted upon a small all terrain vehicle, the folding upper portion of the device must be braced against an existing object (tree, etc.), unlike the present self-supporting stand. The second embodiment comprises a tower structure having four corner arms, with the fore and aft arms on each side meeting at the top. This structure is similar to the non-folding lower structure of the first embodiment, and cannot fold; it remains upright at all times.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,831 issued on Dec. 2, 1986 to Harvey B. Rodgers, Jr., titled xe2x80x9cDeer Stand,xe2x80x9d describes a folding ladder arrangement with a tree braced seat at its upper end. The Rodgers, Jr. stand with its triple sections and double pivots can fold quite compactly, but its small size does not provide a particularly high platform when erected. Moreover, it must rely upon a fixed object (tree, etc.) to support the upper end when erected, unlike the present portable stand invention. The Rodgers, Jr. stand essentially fills the storage area of the vehicle when it is folded for transport and Rodgers, Jr. does not provide any form of lateral bracing, unlike the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,374 issued on Sep. 29, 1987 to John E. Hale, titled xe2x80x9cATV Hunting Stand,xe2x80x9d describes a stand structure mounted upon the rear portion of an all terrain vehicle or the like. The basic structure remains erected at all times, with a seat attached to the top of the structure folding downwardly to reduce the overall height of the structure. However, only the seat folds to reduce the height of the Hale stand; the remainder of the structure remains upright. Hale also provides bracing for his stand, but the bracing is limited to supporting the rear of the stand as it extends outwardly beyond the rear of the vehicle (col. 5, lines 52-56). Moreover, Hale does not provide any pivoting action for the top mounted seat, due to its folding action.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,477 issued on Nov. 29, 1988 to Rex H. Dolan, titled xe2x80x9cStand For All-Terrain Vehicle,xe2x80x9d describes an assembly somewhat resembling the stand or tower of the Tarner U.S. Pat. No. ""252, discussed further above. The Dolan stand is self-supporting from the back of an all terrain vehicle, and folds with the fore and aft lower leg portions on each side, nesting against one another. A rigid, relatively immovable seat platform is affixed to the upper ends of the upper leg portions. No lateral bracing is disclosed, nor is any means of rotating or pivoting the seat disclosed by Dolan, in contrast to the present portable utility stand. Also, as in the case of the other stands discussed to this point, no lower attachment fittings are disclosed in order to provide a more solid and rigid attachment for the stand, as provided by the present portable utility stand invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,986 issued on Jan. 31, 1989 to James C. Hayes III, titled xe2x80x9cCollapsible Tower For ATVs,xe2x80x9d describes a stand having four legs, with the lower ends of the rear legs being removable and securable adjacent the lower ends of the forward legs for lowering the stand to a storage and transport position. This arrangement positions the seat over the forward end of the vehicle, rather than centering the seat over the vehicle, as is the case with the present stand. The Hayes, III stand includes a pair of diagonal braces across the upper ends of the rearward legs, with the braces essentially centered over the ATV cargo area in back of the operator when the stand is lowered. This greatly reduces the utility of the ATV, as its cargo area cannot be used for carriage of any bulky cargo (game animal, etc.) when the stand is lowered.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,614 issued on Aug. 27, 1991 to Robert P. Rainey, titled xe2x80x9cAdaptable Hunting Stand For Ladder-Like Use Or A-Frame Use,xe2x80x9d describes a stand which may be erected against a fixed object, or as a free standing unit atop an ATV. The Rainey stand more closely resembles the stand of the Dolan U.S. Pat. No. ""477, than it does the present invention. The Rainey stand uses four legs, each comprising an upper and a lower section. The lower ends of the legs clamp to the conventional forward and rearward cargo racks of the ATV, when the stand is erected. However, Rainey does not disclose the configuration of the folded stand. It would appear that the collection of tubes and elements would have to be strapped or otherwise secured across the vehicle, rather than stored as a folded frame over the vehicle, as in the present stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,844 issued on Mar. 29, 1994 to Herbert H. Haustein, titled xe2x80x9cRemovable Cab And Stand For All Terrain Vehicles,xe2x80x9d describes a framework which secures removably to the existing conventional forward and rearward cargo racks of an ATV, somewhat like the stand of the Rainey U.S. Pat. No. ""614 discussed immediately above. However, the basic framework of the Haustein structure does not fold, but rather remains in place to support a folding seat support structure thereatop, unlike the present invention. The Haustein seat does not swivel or pivot, as does the present seat, and the structure does not secure to the lower portion of the vehicle for greater structural integrity, as does the present stand structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,081 issued on Apr. 25, 1995 to Johnny F. Reeves, titled xe2x80x9cMobile Hunting Apparatus,xe2x80x9d describes an assembly having a fixed holding stand extending above the vehicle, for carrying the pivotally mounted stand thereon for transport. The hunting stand itself does not fold, but is pivotally attached to the back of the vehicle. As such, the height of the assembly when the stand is pivoted forward for carriage on the vehicle, is very little less than the height of the stand when deployed in its upright position behind the vehicle. The Reeves stand is only supported by the vehicle when it is being transported, and rests upon the ground behind the vehicle while in use. In fact, it could be disconnected from the vehicle when erected, without affecting its stability. Reeves therefore does not provide any form of lateral bracing extending from the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,839 issued on Mar. 16, 1999 to Cecil A. Stanley, titled xe2x80x9cMobile Hunter""s Stand,xe2x80x9d describes a stand having a fixed structure which bolts into the bed of a pickup truck, with a pivotally mounted folding structure secured thereto. Stanley emphasizes the use of a pickup truck for the carriage of his stand, which provides a much heavier base than a lighter all terrain vehicle or other off road vehicle (golf cart, etc.). Accordingly, Stanley does not provide any form of lateral bracing to support his stand when erected, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, as the Stanley stand is carried in the bed of a pickup truck, it folds rearwardly over the bed for storage, rather than folding forwardly over the seating area of the vehicle, as in the case of the present stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,721 issued on Aug. 22, 2000 to Rusty, Haynes, titled xe2x80x9cAccessory For Use With An ATV,xe2x80x9d describes a rectangular frame which affixes immovably to a small all terrain vehicle or the like. While Haynes provides a seat atop the structure, he does not disclose any swiveling or other articulation for the seat, whereas the seat of the present utility stand is pivotally mounted for greater versatility. Moreover, the Haynes stand does not fold in any way, and does not provide a significant increase in height for the hunter or observer, as does the present stand. Also, no Haynes does not provide any form of lateral bracing to support his stand, due to the relatively low height off the Haynes assembly.
German Patent Publication No. 3,503,771 published on Aug. 7, 1986 to Friedrich Peters describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a permanently installed stand supported by and extending above the underlying surface. No vehicle support nor lateral bracing is apparent for the stand of the ""771 German Patent Publication. Rather than pivoting only the seat, the entire upper enclosure of the ""771 German Patent Publication stand revolves. It is not clear from the drawings, just how this mechanism operates atop the four apparently fixed support legs of the stand.
Canadian Patent Publication No. 1,231,686 issued on Jan. 19, 1988 to Ricky A. Purdy, titled xe2x80x9cDeer Stand,xe2x80x9d describes a stand essentially comprising a telescoping ladder which secures to a tree or other fixed structure at its upper end. No vehicle support or carriage is disclosed for the stand of the ""686 Canadian Patent. The stand of the ""686 Canadian Patent more closely resembles the stand of the ""375 U.S. Patent to Ray, discussed further above (excepting the wheels on the stand of the ""375 U.S. Patent), than it does the present utility stand invention.
Finally, German Patent Publication No. 4,222,353 published on Nov. 25, 1993 to Horst Probst describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a stand supported by a single leg which is driven into the ground, with a series of ropes or the like in tension extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom to stabilize the assembly. No vehicle support or folding (other than the flexible ropes or chains) is indicated in the ""353 German Patent Publication.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a portable utility stand solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention is a utility stand for use by hunters, wildlife observers and photographers, security personnel, and others who have need of a portable elevated viewing platform. The present stand is removably installed upon a small off road vehicle (golf cart, all terrain vehicle, etc.), but may also be installed upon a larger vehicle, e.g., within the bed of a pickup truck, etc.
The present stand essentially comprises two major portions. The lower portion is immovably affixed to the vehicle structure, and provides support for the folding upper structure attached thereto. The upper structure is pivotally attached to the lower structure at the upper rear corners of the lower structure, and folds downwardly and forwardly atop the lower structure and over the top of the vehicle for storage and transport. When the upper structure is erected for use, the seat located thereatop is positioned essentially over the center of gravity of the vehicle for safety and stability. A pair of folding lateral braces may be extended to the sides of the vehicle, for greater stability and security.
A pivotally mounted seat is provided atop the folding portion of the structure, allowing the person seated therein to have a 360 degree horizontal field of view by rotating the seat as desired. A hinged safety guard and rest is also provided, which is lowered to surround the seated person to the sides and front thereof. The safety guard provides additional security for the seated person, and also serves as a rest or brace for a rifle or other firearm, a camera, binoculars, and/or other equipment as desired.
The present stand is easily erected by positioning the support vehicle as desired, raising the front of the upper assembly, and locking it in place with a series of pins provided. The lateral braces are then extended and adjusted as required. A ladder is deployed from its storage position at the back of the lower structure, for use in climbing aboard the vehicle. The back of the lower structure and upper structure also include a series of lateral bars for use as a ladder.
When use of the stand is no longer needed at that location, the steps involved in the erection of the stand are reversed to fold the stand atop the vehicle. The vehicle with the folded stand stored thereatop, may be driven to any other practicable location as desired for redeployment of the stand, or the vehicle with the attached stand assembly may be placed in storage as desired. Smaller off road vehicles, e.g., golf carts and all terrain vehicles, are commonly carried within the beds of pickup trucks and the like for use in hunting trips, and the off road vehicle with its attached stand may also be transported using a larger vehicle.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a portable utility stand for removable attachment to a small off road vehicle, for use in hunting, wildlife observation and photography, security operations, and other environments where a temporary, portable, elevated platform is required.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a stand comprising a lower portion which is immovably affixed to a golf cart, all terrain vehicle, or similar transportation, with an upper portion pivotally attached to the upper rear of the lower portion and folding upwardly therefrom for erection of the assembly.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a stand in which the single seat is positioned substantially over the center of gravity of the vehicle when the stand is erected, and which includes lateral support braces for additional stability and safety.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a stand in which the seat is pivotally mounted to provide the user with a 360 degree horizontal field of view, and which includes a safety guard and rest which may be lowered about the sides and front of the person seated upon the present stand.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.